Last night I enjoyed dinner with my dear friends, Andrea and John, at their home. I took a bottle of Alexana 2007 Revana Vineyard Pinot Noir for us to drink with dinner. We enjoyed a sparkling Vouvray with caviar canapes while John, who is quite the chef, completed dinner preparations.

The first course was a fabulous dish of fresh asparagus in carbonara sauce (pancetta, onions, egg, and cheese). The main course was grilled salmon served with farro and roasted beets with goat cheese. After a break, we finished up with cannoli and fresh raspberries. It was a fresh, beautiful, and seasonal feast.

Upon opening the Pinot, we determined that it would not benefit from decanting. In previous posts, I have noted that although 2007 was a challenging year in Oregon, some lovely wines were produced. This 2007 was a gorgeous, clear, ruby red color with just a slight tawny tinge. The aroma contained elements of fruit, herbs, and spices. John’s immediate reaction upon tasting the wine was caramel – it reminded him of tarte tatin (caramelized apple tart).

The wine was superb with the asparagus. It was good with the salmon and vegetables, but better with the asparagus because of the rich sauce. As we discussed flavors and mouth feel, we determined that this wine did best with foods containing some fat. We also thought that beets were difficult to pair with wine because beets are so strongly flavored. If we were to drink this particular wine, again, we thought that pork, lamb, or duck breast with substantial sauces would be ideal.

As always, it was so much fun sharing a special wine with special friends who appreciate wine and food.

Catherine developed a passion for travel, food, and wine early in life. She owned and operated a gourmet catering business and small restaurant for twenty years, earning a number of awards. Eventually she chose to leave the food and beverage industry, but continues to enjoy cooking and furthering her knowledge of wines.